The JCI European Conference 2024, themed ‘A Higher Grade of Living,’ was an event that brought together over 1,500 Jaycees from more than 50 countries held from June 12 to 15 2024. Taking place in Oulu, Finland, it was the northernmost European Conference ever. This vibrant event was organised by the Local Organizations JCI Oulu and JCI Tar Valley Oulu and highlighted JCI’s #4AreasOfOpportunity: Business and Entrepreneurship, Individual Development, Community Action, and International Cooperation. Over the course of #4Days, the conference delved into #4Topics: Wellbeing, Technology, Culture, and Nature.
Conference Opening
The Opening Ceremony of the European Conference is a big event itself. 37 National Presidents, JCI Europe Treasurer Marie-Gisèle Pedrozo, EDC Chair Ulla Pirkola and her Team, the 5 Vice Presidents from Europe Georgina Matamoros, Laurence Schuurman, Emory White, Jacob Doring, Fatih Sengül, VP Anirudh Sistla from Asia, Executive Vice President Keisuke Shimoyamda from Asia, President Kaveen, 1998 President Petri Niskanen, 2001 President Georges Bouverat and Conference Chair EVP Manuela Weber entered the stage to welcome the participants.
Conference Directors Satu Kontiu and Elena Oikarinen introduced to the Conference Program, JCI Finland National President Aleksi Graf highlighted the Finnish hospitality and culture, Jarmo Husso the Chairman of the City Council provided us insights to the achievements and offers of the City, President Kaveen Kumaravel highlighted the importance of Peace and EVP Manuela Weber emphasized the role and responsibility of JCI members to shape the presence and future of Europe.
JCI sessions
One of the main reasons for hosting a European Conference, is the get together of all European national presidents for the conference assembly, as well as the meetup of members from local organizations with the European leadership.
National presidents exchanged ideas and best practices and shared their advancement over the first half year. In the assembly, progress of task forces around the EC setup, the world headquarters building and partnership was discussed and the VP reported on their experiences and learnings so far.
Moreover candidates for the 2025 JCI Office were presented.
But there was more: the members were updated on the progress of the plan of action via the ‘Make a difference’ session, presented by world president Kaveen Kumar Kumaraval. JCI Switzerland showcased their JCI RISE initiatives and members were offered the opportunity to present their flagship projects during the morning shows.
Business and Entrepreneurship
A highlight of the business and entrepreneurship segment in the European Conference was the Creative Young Entrepreneur (CYE) Competition. This pitch competition, dedicated to fostering innovation, creativity, and entrepreneurial spirit among young entrepreneurs within and outside JCI, provided a platform to showcase their businesses. Participants pitched their ideas, competing for a financial boost of their business, underscoring JCI’s commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial talent.
Next to this competition, there were also many training sessions that focussed on business and entrepreneurship. “QPM – Quality Project Management” and “Lean in Business Management” equipped participants with vital skills for professional growth, while Jussi Toivonen’s “Customer Experience Leadership & Measurement” provided insights into a cornerstone of business success: enhancing customer relations. The “LEGO® Serious PLAY®” workshop by Marcin Badura further exemplified creative approaches to strategic thinking and problem-solving, proving that learning can be both fun and effective!
Individual development
Within the pillar of individual development, several workshops and keynotes were programmed for 2024’s EC. Workshops such as “The Power of Your Strengths” by Vahvuuttamo and “Leadership with Heart: Nurturing Authentic Leaders” by Anna Mihaylova encouraged participants to harness their strengths and lead with empathy and integrity. But also the traditional competitions like public speaking and debating, participants got challenged to develop themselves outside of their comfort zone.
Moreover, the inaugural Trainers Forum, “The Empowered Trainer: Transforming Minds, Inspiring Growth,” was a significant highlight. This forum provided a platform for experienced trainers to develop further and share experiences across different cultures. Featuring expert-led workshops and inspiring speakers, it was an official Trainers Certification Program dedicated to genuine skills development.
Community Action & Local Involvement
Community Action in general was featured by addressing global challenges and the role of young leaders in driving positive change. Sessions on sustainable business practices, such as “What is the Future of Packaging?” by Stora Enso and “Building Sustainable Peace” by Simo Koskinen, highlighted the importance of sustainability and peacebuilding.
The City of Oulu invited for dedicated networking sessions and visits to local institutions like the University of Oulu and welcomed the National Presidents and the JCI Europe Team Members to its reception.
Cultural celebrations added a unique dimension to the conference. “The Amazing History of Oulu” by Mika Kulju and other cultural excursions provided deeper insights into the host city’s heritage and innovative spirit. The journey through the #4FinnishSeasons during the Gala Night was a highlight, offering attendees a rich experience of Finland’s natural beauty and cultural richness.
International cooperation
Implicitly, the conference was truly a global affair, with #4RegionalAreas present and #4Languages covered by the program, including English, French, Spanish, and Japanese. 50 nationalities gathered from all over the world to unite at the conference and networked at the tradeshow.
Also networking opportunities for after the EC were fostered by providing a session for Local and National organizations interested in setting up new twinning agreements. Moreover, the amazingly vibrant social program of buffets, drinks and parties have surely resulted in new friendships between members that will last.
Recognizing our members
The conference concluded with a Gala Night, including a JCI Awards Ceremony where the achievements of JCI members from the past year ánd from the conference were celebrated. The most active First Timer from the conference, winners from the public speaking, debating and CYE competitions received their awards, as well as most outstanding local president and most outstanding member that were individually celebrated. Also projects were awarded, like the best national growth and development program, best local global goals project and best international cooperation project. All in all, out of 120 submissions, over 20 awards were granted in the celebration of our achievements.
Concluding
The JCI European Conference 2024 was a resounding success, uniting over 1500 members from the international JCI-community. Oulu’s unique charm provided the perfect backdrop, leaving attendees with newly gained skills, life lasting memories and taking home renewed energy to their local organizations. A very emotional moment was the performance of Chairperson Manuela’s closing speech, singing “memory” adapted to the European Conference.
We are looking forward to relive this experience next year in Herning, Denmark (4th – 7th june 2025).
The Conference Key has been passed from the EC 2024 Conference Directors Satu Kontiu and Elena Oikarinen and JCI Finland National President Aleksi Graf to JCI Denmark National President Steen Molkjaer and EC 2025 Conference Director Michael Albertsen.
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